Utilities
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Strategic context |
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| 8.1 |
The only reference to utility services in the Structure
Plan is in Policies C17 and T12 which resist new overground
pipelines, overhead wires, and major energy related developments. Nevertheless,
the core services provided by the private utility and telecommunications
companies are essential to modern standards of living and a competitive
local economy. They can also have significant landscape impact (for example,
a new radio mast or a reservoir). |
8.2 |
The National Park Authority has a statutory duty, in pursuing
its main purposes, to seek to foster the economic and social well-being
of local communities within the National Park. Structure Plan policy
GS1 states that all development within the National Park will be controlled
so that its valued characteristics will be conserved and enhanced and
that major development proposals including that for which a national need
is identified, will be subject to the most rigorous examination. The National
Park Authority's overall objectives for utility services are therefore
to facilitate the provision of better services for the benefit of the
residents, visitors and the economy of the National Park. However, this
should be achieved without compromising the conservation or enjoyment
of its natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage. |
8.3 |
Development by utility providers must be considered against
policies within the Structure Plan and other conservation policies in
this Local Plan. However, operations may occasionally require development
in open countryside, contrary to Structure Plan policies. Such cases need
to be carefully considered, balancing the need for improved services with
the primary purposes of the National Park Authority. In turn, the availability
and capacity of existing utility services and the environmental impact
caused by new services are important constraints on the location of other
development. Provision of expensive new infrastructure for isolated users
would be contrary to the principles of sustainable development as promoted
in recent Government planning policy guidance. |
8.4 |
The National Park Authority generally enjoys a good working relationship with the utility providers, and this benefits both the National Park and its communities. Many aspects of relatively minor infrastructure and service development constitute "permitted development" under the General Permitted Development Order 1995 and are beyond the control of normal Local Planning Authority operation. Nevertheless, the Environment Act 1995 requires utility providers to have regard to National Park purposes and to give weight to conservation and enhancement. Many utility providers are also obliged, for example by the Water Industry Act 1991, to take measures to protect the environment in the course of their work. The National Park Authority welcomes these obligations and looks forward to a co-operative approach to ensure the best environmental practice for utility company works.
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Service adequacy
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8.5 |
Most of the National Park has electricity and mains water
supplies. However, coverage is not comprehensive. Mains gas supplies and
mains sewerage are available in larger settlements but are less widespread
in small villages and beyond village limits. Some isolated agricultural
buildings have no mains service connections. |
8.6 |
The policies in this Local Plan generally direct development
to areas where service provision will not usually be a problem. Sometimes,
however, existing service infrastructure may have insufficient capacity
to cope with increased demand (sewage or water supply for example). If
development is permitted in such a case, the services should be improved
beforehand to avoid excessive demands being placed upon them. Development
which would require improved services that would damage the valued characteristics
of the National Park should be resisted. |
8.7 |
The National Park Authority will consult the utility providers
and the Environment Agency on planning applications where service provision
is likely to be an issue. Wherever possible, planning controls are used
to enable service infrastructure to be improved rather than refuse the
development. However, if the required number and type of controls necessary
in a given case might be thought unreasonable or likely to impose prohibitive
expense, permission may be refused rather than risk adverse effects. |
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8.8 |
Regional Policy Guidance Note 8 'Regional Planning Guidance
for the East Midlands' provides an overview for the National Park. It
notes that the highest priority should be given to the National Park's
protection and that development plans should reflect this objective. The
National Park Authority should therefore resist proposals for harmful
or major service or telecommunications infrastructure where its purpose
is primarily to meet demands from outside the National Park. The National
Park Authority, however, recognises the strategic importance of the National
Park as a water catchment area for the surrounding regions. Occasionally
new water services infrastructure development to improve regional supply
may be necessary, and acceptable in principle, subject to other policy
considerations. New storage reservoirs will not be acceptable. |
8.9 |
Utility infrastructure development which will benefit
local communities should be permitted where its impact is acceptable or
can be made so by the use of appropriate planning conditions. The National
Park Authority will liaise with the utility providers wherever possible
in pre-application discussions to try to minimise the possible adverse
effects of proposals. Where 'permitted development' by the utility providers
poses a real and specific threat to the valued characteristics of the
National Park and this cannot be overcome through negotiation, the National
Park Authority will consider making an Article 4 direction to bring it
within control. |
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| 8.10 |
Certain utility installations may be 'bad neighbour' development
to other land users because of potential hazards, smell, noise or loss
of amenity. High pressure gas mains and sewage treatment works or the
presence of overhead power lines are examples. The potential impact of
utility company infrastructure on the amenity or safety of new development
will be an important consideration when assessing new planning proposals. |
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8.11 |
The Health and Safety Executive designates sites and pipelines
carrying potential hazards as 'Notifiable Installations'. The National
Park Authority consults the Executive about proposals within given distances
of these sites. The Executive generally advises against any proposed development
within these distances which might increase the risk to more vulnerable
members of the community such as the old, infirm or young. Developers
considering work within the consultation distance of a Notifiable Installation,
are therefore advised to liaise with the Health and Safety Executive at
the earliest opportunity. |
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8.12 |
Around transmission pipelines, the Executive recommend
'Building Proximity Distances', within which normal domestic occupation
should be avoided. British Gas high pressure transmission pipelines within
the National Park are listed below with their corresponding Building Proximity
Distances (BPD) and Consultation Distances (CD). The location of these
pipelines are indicated on the Proposals Map. |
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8.13 |
The water companies are concerned about incompatible land
use in the vicinity of sewage treatment works. Smells and insects are
unavoidable consequences of the treatment process and could result in
poor standards of amenity around the installation. The water companies
are therefore preparing 'cordons sanitaire' around sewage installations
within which they recommend the National Park Authority to prevent development.
Cordons sanitaire may vary in size as the capacity of treatment works
and plant change. They are not therefore indicated on the Proposals Map.
However, they will be used in the Development Control process for consultation
purposes. |
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8.14 |
Structure Plan Policy C17 prohibits any major development
within the National Park, including energy generation and storage schemes,
other than in exceptional circumstances. Small scale energy schemes to
meet local needs are allowed for, subject to the impact on the valued
characteristics of the area being acceptable. |
8.15 |
Government advises planning authorities to have regard
to the role that renewable energy schemes can play in meeting energy demand.
Renewable energy is generated by harnessing natural resources such as
the wind, water, sun or crops, or from utilising waste as fuel. These
resources can normally only be harnessed where they occur. They can help
cut greenhouse gas emissions, meet internationally agreed targets on pollution
reduction, and secure a diversity in sources of energy. Government has
created a favourable financial market for renewable energy which has encouraged
growth of the industry. |
8.16 |
However, within designated landscapes such as the National
Park, authorities must also have regard to the features which first justified
that designation. Accordingly, the National Park Authority fully supports
the principles of sustainable development but gives priority to its statutory
purpose to conserve and enhance the National Park. Structure Plan Policy
C17 therefore allows only for small scale power schemes that are consistent
with local needs and where they can be accommodated without damage to
the appearance of the area. Windfarms or large individual wind turbines
are not acceptable. |
8.17 |
A recent Department of Trade and Industry and European
Community sponsored study by the Energy Technology Support Unit ('East
Midlands Renewable Energy Planning Study - Peak District National Park
Report 1995') has shown that given National Park constraints, the potential
total output of energy from renewable resources in the National Park (taking
into account existing strategic land use policy) is very small in the
regional context. It is reasonable therefore that the desire in principle
to develop renewable energy should not override or compromise National
Park conservation and enhancement objectives. The National Park should
not be seen simply as a potential regional or national renewable energy
resource. Insulation of buildings and other measures to reduce consumption
may often be more appropriate in the National Park context, achieving
reductions in fossil fuel consumption and pollution without landscape
harm. |
8.18 |
Renewable energy schemes need, therefore, to be acceptable
in the landscape, and of a scale and output consistent with local demand
for power. Size, design, siting, noise generation, impact on wildlife
and associated landscaping will all be relevant. Windfarms and large individual
aerogenerators would clearly be of a scale that would be damaging to the
National Park's valued characteristics. Whilst it is not possible to define
at what point an individual aerogenerator becomes 'large', freestanding
structures of more than a few metres in height or in the open countryside
could have a significant and harmful visual impact and are likely to be
unacceptable. |
8.19 |
Some small scale, normally supplementary, power generation,
may constitute 'permitted development' (for example, a small individual
wind turbine sited on a domestic property or farm building). The National
Park Authority will liaise with the developer wherever possible to encourage
the siting of the equipment so as to minimise its impact on the immediate
locality. |
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8.20 |
The telecommunications industry (especially satellite
television and mobile telephones) is large and rapidly expanding. Cable
television networks and the Information Superhighway are likely to grow
over the next decade. This creates pressure for relay and booster stations,
masts and satellite dishes and the laying of cable networks. Often, technical
requirements mean that there is little flexibility in suitable locations
for such infrastructure development The nature of the National Park's
landscape makes the assimilation of masts and associated equipment very
difficult without visual damage. |
8.21 |
Government policy is to facilitate the continued national
growth of the industry and states that local planning authorities should
not question the need for the service a proposed development is to provide.
However, Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 also states that the Government
is committed to environmental protection, in particular in designated
areas such as National Parks. Particular care is therefore needed if these
two national priorities are to be achieved. |
8.22 |
Modern telecommunications networks are useful in reducing
the need to travel, by allowing for home working and 'telecottage' type
development. They can be a vital aid to business and to emergency services
and the management of traffic. Mobile telephones are rapidly becoming
an everyday convenience. However, as with other utility company development,
the National Park Authority should carefully avoid harmful impacts that
this type of development can give rise to. Telecommunications development
proposed within the National Park to meet an external national or regional
need rather than to improve services within it may well be of a scale
which would cause significant and damaging visual harm. The impact of
all telecommunications infrastructure including that needed to improve
services within the National Park itself should always be minimised (See
Policies LU1 and LU2). |
8.23 |
Where a mast or similarly obtrusive structure is proposed
and likely to be accepted, the National Park Authority will seek to achieve
the least environmentally damaging but operationally acceptable location.
It will request that the full range of technical information is supplied
by the company regarding the siting, size and design of the equipment
proposed to facilitate evaluation of the least obtrusive but technically
feasible development. New equipment should always be mounted on an existing
structure if technically possible and development should be located at
the least obtrusive site. Particular care is needed to avoid damaging
the sense of remoteness of the higher hills, moorlands, edges or other
prominent and skyline sites. Upland or elevated agricultural buildings,
which are not uncommon in the National Park, may provide a suitable alternative
to new structures in the landscape. If necessary, the National Park Authority
will seek expert advice to help assess and minimise the impact of the
design and sitting of telecommunications infrastructure. |
8.24 |
The mobile telephone companies may often be able to locate
antennae (or any other transmitting or receiving equipment) on an existing
building rather than erect a purpose built mast. The National Park Authority
would support such an approach where the antennae can be mounted with
minimum visual and architectural impact. Mounting antennae on a listed
building will usually be inappropriate (see Policy LC6). Agricultural
buildings in remoter areas may provide a suitable alternative to a new
mast. |
8.25 |
Some businesses and public services are developing their
own telecommunication networks either for operating and monitoring equipment
or to improve their communications. It is considered that such systems
are desirable to the industry rather than essential and therefore major
infrastructure proposals such as masts or buildings should not be allowed
to detract from the valued characteristics of the National Park. Shared
use of existing infrastructure, or the use of the public networks should
be used instead. Exceptions may occur if there are strong public safety
implications. Proposals for satellite dishes on dwellings will be assessed
against Policy LH4. |
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8.26 |
Utility infrastructure often needs to be located in countryside
locations where permission for general development would be refused. Similarly,
the alteration of a building's character and appearance may be acceptable
whilst the equipment is in use, but not otherwise. It is important that
if it becomes operationally redundant for a reasonable period of time,
the site or building should be returned to its original (or previously
agreed) condition. (A similar approach is usually taken with modern agricultural
buildings when their agricultural use is no longer required). |
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